The last couple of years of my studying stuff about the neuroscience, NLP and hypnotherapy, I can tell you that I have discovered amazing things. Things that aren’t taught at schools. Unfortunately! Hence, I’ve learned one important truth about people – people like quick solutions and shortcuts rather than using and involving their ‘super computer’ – Mr Brain!
The subject of lying, and learning how to tell if someone is lying is difficult. On the other hand,experts say that learning how to lie convincingly is more difficult. Lying is never a clear case – there are certainly powerful indicators but no hundred per cent methods – which is why there are no true lie detectors usable in courts .
Lying and deception require different brain processes than telling the truth obviously. When you’re telling the truth, you usually find a memory associated with the true answer and replay it with your vocal chords. However, when someone lies , an individual not only needs to process the truth and withhold it, but their brain need to do a whole host of extra processes, such as that your frontal lobe cautions you that you do not want to reveal the truth. Furthermore, one’s mind makes up the alternative answer (the lie) or sometimes recalls a false memory -in case of ‘planned the lie’.
The most amazing to me is that an individual tries to change the subject or use body language to deter the person from perusing that line of questioning.
If we are capable of noticing and reading these signs, we can tell that someone is lying.
The first sign is the eyes. When the brain is “creating a picture” the eyes instinctively move up and to their right -your left, signifying access to the right hemisphere -in charged for creation, and visual cortex -in charged for creating pictures. This usually means they are constructing a picture in their head. If someone is recalling a picture -actually remembering something that they actually saw, then they would look up and to their left -your right.
The eyebrows rising towards the centre of the forehead is a sign of fear. This sign can occur during or immediately after a lie, because they are scared that you will see through it.
Another sign of fear is the sides of the lips turning down. The muscles that control this action are very specific and it is almost impossible to consciously activate them without activating any other lip-related muscles.
The easiest way to recognize a potential liar is when someone touches their nose or lips, covers their mouth or in some way touches their face during the telling of a lie.
Sure, all these signs above in the lie face are never hundred per cent guarantee that we have caught a liar because it is possible for a good liar to prevent any of these signs occurring while they tell a lie. Sometimes, a liars is so talented that they can actually convince themselves that they are telling the truth (sounds familiar to you? Every day we hear and see politicians!), therefore a lie may appear entirely genuine. But it requires great effort in the brain to convince yourself you’re telling the truth, and those cranial efforts have footprints.
In summary, when we talk to a potential liar, that individual will :
quickly change the head position. That’s the first rule.
often repeat the same words and phrases;
will be standing or sitting in an upright position;
will try to provide you with plenty of useless and too detailed information;
will be covering or touching a mouth;
will be touching upon more vulnerable parts of the body – throat, stomach,head;
very often will punctuated;
….will be looking you straight in the eye (looking at me in the eye and lying to me – yep, that’s right).
Guys, you’d better sharpen your five senses, notably vision and hearing and know who is lying to you straight in the eye! Have fun!
